Second Harvest feeding families living in motels

WESH.COM. DURING THE PANDEMIC, THEY WERE A COMMON SIGHT. FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS. CARS LINED UP FOR HOURS TO GET FOOD AND HELP STAVE OFF EXPENSES TO HARVEST FOOD. BANK LED THE WAY WITH THESE MOBILE DISTRIBUTIONS, BUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS LATER, THE NEED AND THOSE GIVEAWAYS HAVE BECOME THE NEW NORMAL FOR THOUSANDS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA FAMILIES. NANCY ALVAREZ TAKES US TO ONE IN OSCEOLA COUNTY, SERVING FAMILIES WHO HAVE TO CALL MOTELS HOME. WE HAVE TO DO THE VEGGIES, SO EACH PERSON WILL GET ABOUT FOUR OF THESE. IT LOOKS LIKE AN OUTDOOR FOOD MARKET AND IT IS WITH ONE SIGNIFICANT EXCEPTION. THE BULK OF OUR DONATION OF 95% OF THE DONATION COMES FROM SECOND HARVEST AND THAT’S WHAT WE SERVE LIKE YOU SEE TODAY. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS THE BIWEEKLY FOOD GIVEAWAY RUN BY THE PEOPLE AT CLARITAS HOUSE. TWICE A MONTH THEY SET UP IN THE PARKING LOTS OF TWO MOTELS ALONG 192 IN KISSIMMEE. IT WORKS OUT PERFECT BECAUSE THEY’RE BOTH THEY BOTH HAVE FAMILIES THAT THEY WANT TO SERVE AND THEY’RE GLAD THAT THAT WE’RE HERE. THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT TODAY. I KNOW IT’S A HOT DAY THEN. DOREEN BARKER, HER HUSBAND AND VOLUNTEERS. GOOD MORNING. GET TO WORK. OH, GOODNESS. SO WE SERVE A LOT OF THE HOMELESS FAMILIES AND THE FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN THE HOTEL. WE GET A LOT OF SINGLE MOMS THAT COME THROUGH. WE DO GET ELDERLY PEOPLE, BUT WE HAVE THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE SINGLE MOMS WITH CHILDREN. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE LOW INCOME FAMILIES. DOREEN WORKS WITH SECOND HARVEST ON THESE MOBILE DISTRIBUTIONS TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE IN OSCEOLA COUNTY AS POSSIBLE. JUST TODAY, THEY EXPECT 400 FAMILIES. THE FRESH PRODUCE AND MEAT IN THOSE KIND OF THINGS IS WHAT I’M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WITH SECOND HARVEST. IT’S SOMETHING IN THE TRUNK. FAMILIES LIKE ELIZABETH’S, IF IT’S THEIR BEST NUMBER ONE, CHICKEN, BEEF, FRUIT, WATER, SOMETIMES MILK. YEAH. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW MY HUSBAND WAS IN NO WORK. THEN THE FOOD IS GOOD BECAUSE THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS EXPENSIVE IN SUPERMARKETS. MARTHA. PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING. ABSOLUTELY, YES. DOREEN HEARS IT ALMOST EVERY DAY. I’M BEING EVICTED. YOU KNOW, I LOST MY APARTMENT. YOU KNOW, I’M IN THE HOTEL, AND I HAVE ONE DAY LEFT. MY ELECTRICITY IS ABOUT TO BE TURNED OFF. MY PHONE IS ABOUT TO BE TURNED OFF. EVERY BOX OF FOOD PLACED IN A CAR STRAPPED TO A TRAILER ROLLED OFF IN A CART IS ANOTHER BILL THAT CAN BE PAID WITHOUT SOMEONE HAVING TO CHOOSE TO GO HUNGRY. IT WARMS MY HEART TO KNOW THAT WE HELP. WE’RE HELPING FOLKS IN ANY WAY. HAVE A GREAT DAY. ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE END. OKAY. YOU’RE VERY WELCOME. IN KISSIMMEE, NANCY ALVAREZ WESH 2 NEWS. SO MOVING TO SEE AND THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. ORGANIZATIONS LIKE CURTIS HOUSE AND FAMILIES THEY SERVE ARE THE ONES YOU HELP WHEN YOU SUPPORT. SHARE YOUR CHRISTMAS AND SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK. YOU CAN DONATE RIGHT NOW. JUST SCAN THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN OR GO T